Good Neighbors: Site Renovations in Kahl
Linde MH first laid down roots in the northern Bavarian community of Kahl am Main in the 1930s and has been a major employer there with close links to the local area ever since. We understand that every significant change at the site also affects the people who live near the Kahl plant. We therefore openly and transparently shared our plans for modernizing the site and constructing a large warehouse, with the aim of directly taking into account local residents’ concerns and wishes. This was important because Linde MH and its sister company Dematic want to maintain good neighborly relations long into the future.
“Thanks to the very constructive working relationship with the community of Kahl and the authorities, we’re making excellent progress,” says Markus Kellermann, Head of Parts RDC Kahl and project manager for the renovation works. “We want to make this project a success by working together openly as equals and by drawing on our long-standing shared traditions. We feel it is very important to involve the local citizens, especially in our immediate neighborhood, and to spare them as much as possible from being negatively affected by the construction work.”
Around 60 million euros are being invested in the site, some of which is being used to build a state-of-the-art spare parts warehouse. The intention is to transform the site into a showpiece for the KION Group. The fully automated warehouse will replace an old building in the north of the site. The warehouse will supply service technicians working for Linde MH’s customers with spare parts around the clock. To ensure maximum efficiency, its facilities are set to include conveyor technology for small and large parts, a multi-shuttle system, and high-rack storage retrieval equipment that will be used in a networked and automated way.
A Sustainable Site
Linde MH’s work to modernize the site is about far more than interior design. Its plans for the new, modern halls also focus on noise emissions, ways to protect nature and the environment, and shading. In all respects, Linde MH attaches great importance to making the site as compatible with its surroundings as possible. For example, the new high rack warehouse will only be 30 meters high, although 40 meters would have been possible. Bird towers, nesting boxes, and green spaces will be provided to help protect species and support water seepage. The aim is to make sure that the site remains attractive for employees, residents, and the local flora and fauna long into the future. “By reusing the concrete from the old buildings, we can save huge quantities of CO₂,” adds Kellermann.
With over 340 employees, Linde MH and Dematic have laid down firm roots in the area. In fact, many colleagues have been working at the Kahl site for a long time, some even since they were trainees. By performing the renovations, the KION Group will ensure that the plants and warehouses can keep operating and remain cornerstones of the local economy for many years to come.
Respect!
Hundreds of colleagues across various sites came together on several campaign days to create a human chain symbolizing the importance of treating each other with respect. The chain signifies how we at Linde MH work together in line with the motto #ActwithRespect!
The initiative originated from a grassroots movement of employees who asked themselves what they could do to actively shape their working environment, and so the idea of a human chain and signature campaign was born.
At the Aschaffenburg and Weilbach plants, regular operations were briefly halted for the employees’ campaign in May and July, during which colleagues stood up for more respect at work and formed a human chain at their plant. This represented the act of reaching out and working together. The participants were then able to add their signatures to forklift trucks specially painted for the campaign as a visible symbol of their commitment. The trucks now drive up and down the plants’ yards, where they serve as a daily reminder of how important treating each other with respect is to Linde MH’s employees.
In the meantime, the campaign was also adapted locally in the UK, where it was run as part of several roadshows. A #ActwithRespect sign featuring employees’ signatures can now be found in many offices and workshops.
